Saturday, June 22, 2013

8 Fun Facts About James Bond-Vol.1

8 Fun Facts About James Bond-Vol. 1

Every week as I research article topics for The World of Bond I find myself smiling as I stumble across fun facts that I either didn't know, or had completely forgotten, about the world's most famous secret agent, James Bond.  I decided to compile these facts and share them in a new series called "8 Fun Facts About James Bond".

Here is our first installment:

1.     James Bond was not Ian Fleming's first choice for the character's name.  The original draft of Casino Royale identified the character as James Secretan.  Fleming then opted for a name less coded in double meaning and, subsequently, chose Ornithologist James Bond to model the character after, in name only.

2.     Ian Fleming was unhappy with the selection of Sean Connery for the role in Dr. No.  He actually referred to the choice of Connery as "simply dreadful" after an initial screening of Dr. No.   He later changed his mind.  By the time he died, prior to Goldfinger's release, Fleming began to appreciate the choice.

3.     President John F. Kennedy's praise of Ian Fleming's James Bond series propelled the sales of the Ian Fleming novels, which were previously less than stellar sellers.

4.     George Lazenby was the only Bond actor to publicly criticize the Daniel Craig era films.   While Lazenby praised Craig as an actor, he felt that the Bond character in the Craig era lacks heart.  That characterization makes me wonder if Lazenby actually sat through till the end of Casino Royale.

5.   Roger Moore used a stunt double for scenes where he was running, of all things.   Not that Moore was incapable or unwilling to engage in a good sprint; he simply felt he looked awkward doing it after watching himself run in test footage.

6.   Sean Connery broke his hand training with, none other than martial arts master and fight coordinator, Steven Seagal, on the set of Never Say Never Again (1983).  There is, apparently, still no love loss between the two actors.

7.     In 1986 Pierce Brosnan was the popular favorite to ascend to the Bond throne, succeeding Roger Moore in the film, The Living Daylights.   He was forced to wait another 8 years to fulfill that destiny because the producers' of the television show, Remington Steele (1982), refused to allow Pierce out of his contract.

8.    Daniel Craig's film, Casino Royale (2006), the 23rd installment in the James Bond, Eon Productions film series was, by far, the closest in plot, character development, and dialogue to the original Ian Fleming novel.  It took almost 50 years for Hollywood to acknowledge that Fleming's source work was the best place to re-visit to insure that the James Bond legacy stay alive.   This was a genius move that together with the casting of Daniel Craig, resuscitated a franchise headed for decline.

Stay tuned for more installments.  Please send any Fun Facts you'd like me to include in future installments.

JAMES BOND REMINDER:    Only 4 months until the release of the new James Bond novel, SOLO, by William Boyd.


Sunday, June 16, 2013

Your Favorite Bond Theme Song Is...?

Your Favorite Bond Theme Song Is...?

There are few things more signature to James Bond Films than their theme songs.  Introduced as part of the "Bond Formula" after Dr. No, the theme song, built around the film's title has become synonymous with each of the Bond films.   In fact, many of the theme songs have been more popular and well received than the films they support.    In response to our reader poll you have selected a theme song which is associated with the most popular James Bond film in movie history, Skyfall.  

With the critical and financial success of both the film and the theme song it is no surprise that Skyfall would be the winner.  This 2012 hit song was co-written and performed by the world famous, Adele.  The song's release preceded the film's and it instantly became an international musical hit, topping the UK Charts and becoming the eighth ranked all time hit on the Billboard 100 rankings.  

The song's accomplishments were not limited to the music world.  It garnered a Brit Award, a Golden Globe and, even, an Academy Award at the 85th Academy Awards, where Adele performed it live during the 50th Anniversary Tribute to the James Bond Film series.  Adele, an already accomplished singer and songwriter, has established herself as the most iconic Bond musical persona since Shirley Bassey and has been invited to return with the theme for Bond 24.  As a fan we can only hope the song, as well as the film, will come close to the success of Skyfall.


Wednesday, June 5, 2013

THE WORLD OF BOND: Your Favorite Bond Is.....

THE WORLD OF BOND: Your Favorite Bond Is.....: Your Favorite Bond Is..... The votes have been cast and tabulated in  The World of Bond's   Which Bond Is Your Favorite  contest....

Your Favorite Bond Is.....

Your Favorite Bond Is.....

The votes have been cast and tabulated in The World of Bond's Which Bond Is Your Favorite contest.  For some this may be one of the most significant elections of the 21st Century (For James Bond Fans that is).  Our readers were asked to choose their favorite actor, who played James Bond, from among the Eon Productions' film Bonds; from Sean Connery to Daniel Craig.  Our readers have, overwhelmingly, selected Daniel Craig as their favorite Bond Actor.

What does Craig's selection tell us about the modern Bond audience?  It may reveal that the modern Bond fan appreciates the dramatic, gritty, course that the series has embarked upon since Craig's elevation to the role with 2006's Casino Royale.  It may be evidence that the current crop of Bond fans are traditionalists that harken for the three dimensional, flawed character of the Ian Fleming novels and short stories founded on a bedrock of strong spy stories, rather than the the two dimensional Roger Moorish character films that degenerated into formula films relying too heavily on one liners, gadgets, and gimmickry.  Craig, in only three film installments, delivers this traditional Bond for the new age.

This selection of Daniel Craig is not a huge surprise when one looks at the financial and critical success garnered by Skyfall, the 23rd installment in the James Bond movie series, and the most successful by any standards used to measure success.   It is also not a surprise when one looks at the current actor and winner who, to some, not only plays Bond but is Bond.   Despite the early skepticism over the selection of Craig as Pierce Brosnan's replacement, he quickly won the attention of fans, film critics and the broader movie audience by playing the role with believable grit, intelligence, and masculine sex appeal.  Perhaps it was Craig's training on the British stage, television, and films that prepared him to fill the role so adeptly.  Regardless, as we approach the 24th installment of the franchise and rumors of the return of Sam Mendes as the film's Director and the casting of the beautiful, Penelope Cruz as the latest "Bond Girl" circulate, one thing is for certain, Daniel Craig will return as James Bond.

On an additional note, the beloved and iconic Sean Connery was the runner up in our reader poll.  There is no doubt, had he not made such a indelible contribution towards launching the film franchise and molding our impression of Bond, there would have been no place for any of the other five actors who filled his very large shoes.  Thank you, Sir!